Selecting a bull that is healthy and strong is important for female whales when choosing a mate. This is important because the health and strength of the bull will be passed on to the calf.
If it is a large species of whale, they often travel to the tropic to mate and give birth. The bulls travel in groups looking for the groups of female whales. When they find them, the bulls will sing and sometimes fight trying to attract a mate.
Using their vocal capabilities, males sing love songs in attempts to win over a female. While what we here my sound like clicks and squeaks, to the whales it is a song. Often rhyming, with verses and changing the songs to try to outperform one another. These songs can last for 10-20 minutes and are often repeated for hours. There are other tactics used to gain attention as well.
Narwhal whales are known to resort to fighting to gain the females favor. These battles are dangerous to females and calves who leave the area during these battles. Narwhals use the tusk on their lip to battle other males.
If the female approves of the males attempt, a dating period begins. During this time, the whales get to know one another. As part of the dating phase, whales will sing, swim in patterns, pose and touch each other. Once they become comfortable with each other, they mate, belly to belly.
Occasionally, you might see a family whales. This means that after mating, the male stayed to protect the female and calf. Not all whales stay with the female. After mating, some whales return their male group.
In his studies of whales one aspect that has always intrigued Jan van Nickerk is the whales mating rituals.
Get all the information and photos:: http://coringa.info/education/whales-mating-rituals-and-what-happens
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